Friday Nights
by thwipster808
Summary: Solangelo Week 2k18: Day 2 prompt - Aged-Up/Ten Years Later Couple Cooking!


**A/N: I've never done "aged up" before so hopefully it's good! Enjoy :)**

Will was tired. He was more than tired – he was exhausted.

It was a Friday night and, as a 23 year old, Will felt like adulthood came much too quickly. Sure, he was in graduate school, so he was still a student, but it was no longer the fun undergraduate university life. Now, he had to pay off student loans while paying for grad school and working his normal job. It was a Friday night and Will wasn't out partying with a bunch of friends, he was just doing some schoolwork.

Life wasn't all bad, though. Will headed out of his room into the living room of his apartment. He looked to the kitchen to see his boyfriend already taking out the cooking supplies. It was Friday night after all.

Will and Nico started living together a couple years ago. Nico had many missions to accomplish for his father before he could move in with Will. Those years apart were hard, but not impossible. But now, Will had no idea how they ever lasted apart. He couldn't ask for a better way to wake up than next to his grumpy Death Boy. He loved those slow, easy mornings when they could just bask in their new lives together. Of course, there were mornings filled with rushed words and a quick kiss goodbye, but that was life. For demigods, they were living the dream.

Will was amazed that they were still alive and could live relatively normal lives outside of camp thanks to technological advances by the Hephaestus cabin. Adulthood lessened the adolescent demigod scent that monsters were attracted to, so Will guessed he could be thankful for growing up, no matter what new stresses that came with it.

Since they started living together, the two had found it difficult to spend quality time together as they both were establishing their new lives. Thus, Friday night dinners became a regular thing. Though they occasionally had to order out on extremely busy weeks, they generally always cooked the meal together. Will thought couple cooking was a fun idea and Nico had a knack for it, so it worked out well.

So here they were, Friday night at dinner time. Will's work wasn't done, and neither was Nico's, but that wasn't about to keep them from spending time together.

Nico turned around and noticed Will. "Ah, emerged from your hole, I see?"

Will smiled. "Can't miss out on Friday night, now can I? Especially not Italian night. You know I love your Italian cooking."

Rolling his eyes, Nico responded, "You mean you love watching me cook?"

"If you let me do more, then I'd be helping too."

"If you wouldn't burn everything, maybe I would. Italian food is an art, William."

Will walked up to the counter and faced Nico. "I promise I won't tonight!"

Will looked down into his boyfriend's eyes. He never failed to get lost in those chocolate brown irises, never failed to fall for the boy behind them. He remembered a time when those eyes seemed black, a clear wall blocking all from entering. In those rare moments of vulnerability, Will remembered seeing the brokenness that laid behind those walls, never fixed, only shoved away. Now, Will saw life and joy and trust—trust in him. It's not that Will brought Nico's walls down. It's more like Nico let him in. And now, here they were, side by side in _their_ kitchen in _their_ apartment.

"What are you smiling about?" Nico asked, noticing Will's content smile that had slowly spread across his face.

Will simply wrapped his arms around Nico's middle. "Just you."

Nico reciprocated the gesture, laying his head on Will's shoulder. They stood like that for a little, just soaking in each other's presence. Sometimes, they wished they could stay like that. Was it ridiculous that two men in their prime wanted nothing more than a moment of peace? Maybe, but as demigods, peace meant everything to them.

With a happy sigh, Will broke the comfortable silence. "So, what do you want me to do, chef?" Will took a step back, beaming at Nico. "I am your faithful sous-chef, as always." He gave an army salute.

Nico giggled at that. "First, let's wash our hands. Then we can get down to business, soldier."

Will laughed and followed Nico to the sink.

It was a Friday night. Life was difficult—it was new and took some adjusting. They were finally living normal mortal lives and had no idea what they were doing. Will was struggling and knew that Nico had issues of his own. But they were in it together. Friday night dinner was the only time Will allowed himself to forget everything else going on and focus only on them. Their apartment, their dinner, their relationship, their love. It was enough to keep Will going for a lifetime. He was sure Nico felt the same.


End file.
